Well, job done Mr Alan "lying bastard" Wiley - your lies got Beckford banned
and without our goal machine we cannot score !
This was a proper game of two halves and bearing in mind they announced their
keeper as the man of the match it is clear we deserved something from this game.
Despite the fact that we should be used to early kick off times it appeared for
the first half hour that most of our lot were still in bed. We faced the same
problem that we had at Walsall and other games in this Division - we are the
big scalp, we are everyones cup final - the size and passion of the home fans
proves it. They started as if it were a real do or die Cup final and we just
cannot cope. ManU face it every week as do whoever is the Prem Champions in any
given season , teams raise there game against them, but the big difference is
that Man U \ Champions are good players and can keep the ball and ride out the
storm. We can't do that - yesterday every time one of ours had the ball he was
harried and hustled by two or even three of their players and we don't have the
control or know how to keep the ball. When you have players round you , your
first touch needs to be good to get the ball under control, we can't trap a
ball - it bounces away and
the opposition nip in and get it , or when we do have the ball we need to pass
it accurately to a player who has made space - we cannot do this either, the
pass goes astray or no-one has found any space. So in effect we never have the
ball until they tire themselves out a bit - although it is a non sensical
phrase that I hate, the opposition do put in 110% at the start of games and we
cannot live with it, and they cannot keep it up (ooer missus !). We have to
make sure that we are not losing when things calm down or, as happend yesterday
all the opposition need to do is get stuck in, defend well and with commitment
and rely on good goalkeeping, bit of luck and poor finishing. That is what
happened second half.
That then is our general problem, we have 3rd Division players playing in what
other teams view as Premiershipip club and until we get out of this tin pot
Division and become a big scalp but not THE team to beat in the Championship
or, heaven forbid, that we stay down that long that we genuinely become "not
famous anymore" and are just another game we are going to be faced with the
same problems.
Yesterday as I say they started like demons and put in so much effort that in a
way their fans ought to feel cheated that they do not do that every game.We had
a few nervy moments, Rui and Dickinson were both given a torrid time, the
midfield was being out muscled and overrun, Hughes was a fish out of water and
it was only thanks to Naylor and his commitment and organising skills that
saved us from being hammered. We nearly turned the game on its head when
totally against the run of play a great ball from Robinson played out of
defence fed Trundle who took his time and played it inside to Snoddy but
although his shot was on target it was fairly easy for the keeper and a big
chance had gone begging . Despite that let off they kept going and Dickinson
gave the ball away when he dallied , he recovered well but at the expense of a
corner and- for the first time under Grayson- we failed to defend properly and
let their lad have a free header 0 1 and we were
really under the cosh. They had a couple of other chances - one when Casper
spilled it and just managed to gather as the forward slid in, Hughes made a
great saving tackle inside the box but did not clear it and had to tackle again
before we were safe, they headed over when a goal seemed certain, Naylor put in
a last ditch tackle, a shot whizzed past the post etc etc. So for the first
30mins we just were not at the races. The whirlwind that had been Huddersfield
then seemed to blow itself out and we started to control the ball and get back
into it -a rasping shot from Robbo beat the keeper and looked to us to come
back off the bar. And so a shell shocked Leeds team trooped off at half time.
Their announcer *he was just a fat bald bastard" was a real pain - at half time
he cheerfullly said "and now for half time scores - there is only one game
being played, and it is Hudds 1 Leeds 0." They had a bizzare penalty shoot out
and when the Leeds fan ( young girl) had her pen saved he gleefully said over
the mic - that is the closest Leeds have come to a goal at that end" He was a
grade A tosser and if our announcer at ER acted in the same provocative way I
am sure he would be sacked !
Second half was totally different from the first we controlled it pretty much
from start to finish and looked better when Hughes went off injured and Howson
came on with Douglas going to right back. Howson had our best chance but his
header was weak, Snoddy had a couple of shots, Robbo the same, a Naylor had one
that trickled agonisingly onto the post and out, their keeper saved pretty much
everything we threw at him and it became clear that is was nto going to be our
day - things nearly got worse when they broke away but Casper came out well and
saved when one on one (think Doncaster at Wembely)
The final whistle went and so Huddersfield had won the League, the FA Cup, the
Champions League, The Grand National, the Six Nations, Winbledon and the X
Factor - well their fans and players celebrated as though they had !!
One word about their fans - I must give them the award for best song \ chant I
have heard for years. It was their version of Anarchy in the UK - not clear
what the words were but something like "I know what I want and I know where to
get it, I wanna beee HTFC" - try humming it to yourself - I loved it
Their fans were loud and boisterous all game - another reason why we need to
ride the storm at the start and quiten them down. Those who read the official
Leeds site will be pleased to note that although we chose to "jeopardise our
own safety and that of others" by standing throughout - there were in fact no
fatalities !!
Won't do scores on doors as such but to me, Naylor, Delph and Snodgrass all
did well - though Snoddy needs to cross a lot quicker. Robbo, Capser and Howson
did OK. The others were average to poor- Trundle is a huge disappointment and
should have been subbed a lot earlier - lets hope Liam Dickinson does much
better when he joins on load. Becchio tries hard but it is getting more
difficult to disagree with Rich W assessment - he is nothing without Beckford.
Grella was pretty annonymous and if fans are going to insist on sining that
shit USA USA song then I hope he never plays again - seriously though he is a
long way from being ready for the first team on this showing.
Just as an aside went in the Head of Steam at Hudds station after the game and
saw the worlds least convincing transvestite - less realistic than Emily Howard
off Little Britain - made us smile which was good given the mood we were in
A very bad day at the office and it is no good saying we should have got at
least a point when we end up with nothing. Play offs are our only hope now and
we need something in midweek to keep that hope alive.
Dave
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Sorry Macca - it's the curse of Bates old lad
